Sherwood Mall General Manager Gayle Speare said that despite a “very rugged economy, the stores we have actually have done very well.” She was very surprised, she said, but most retailers there hit or exceeded their sales marks over the holidays.

Meanwhile, our last forecast predicted Silicon Valley would see the biggest change in fortunes in 2009. They dodged the first half of the recession (dominated by real estate and construction troubles), but the tech sector will be hammered by the steep, broad based, global downturn. Intel’s disapointing results made headlines yesterday.

For the second time in two months, Santa Clara computer-chip giant Intel on Wednesday lowered its fourth-quarter revenue forecast, saying weakening global demand for semiconductors had cut unexpectedly into its sales.

About the Author

Ethan Jacob

Author & Editor

I am Ethan Jacob Executive Director of the Center for Business and Policy Research at the University of the Pacific, where I have a joint faculty appointment in the Eberhardt School of Business and the Public Policy Program in the McGeorge School of Law..